Pliers having insulated jaws and handles



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR W/LLAM W. Kfm/@ff 'W RNEY Nov. I5, 1949 w.aw.VANDERl cLuTE l PLIERS HAVING INSULATED JAws Aim 'HANDLES Filed May zo,1944 Nov. 15, 1949` w. w. VANDER cLUTE 2,488,484

PLIERS HAVING NSULATED JAWS AND HANDLES Filed May so, 1944 2sheets-sheet 2 Fig. 7 Fig; 9 Fig. /0

INVENTOR d i I A. WZLLAT RNEYL v WILL//M/W. VANDER-CLINE Patented Nov.15, 1949 v f e PLIERS HAVING INSULATED JAWS AND HANDLES William W.Vander Clute,y Elisabeth, N. J., as-

signor to Round Root Corporation, Elizabeth,

Y Application May 30, 1944, Serial No. 537,992

(Cl. 81f52) 7 Claims.

My invention relates to tools, more particularly to gripping tools suchas pliers and wrenches.- A Y In certain types of work, for example inaircraft4 assembly work where aluminum or other soft metal andmaterialsare used, elements with easily marred or injured surfaces mustbe engaged yfirmly to insurevrotation when a turning force is appliedwithout: injury to the element.

In manyl applications the tool must be thoroughly insulated againstelectrical shock. It is also desirable that such tools be made easily,quickly and cheaply, but be sturdy and effective for their intendedapplications.V It is also highly desirable to insure a positive grip bya device which can be easily and quickly adjusted to take different sizework.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved tool for grippingand rotating elements worked upon.

It is another object of my invention to provide such a tool whichreduces to a minimum or substantially eliminates marring or damage tosurfaces although insuring a substantially positivev gripping action.

Another object of my invention is-to providel a quickly, easily andcheaply made tool of` they kind described, preferably of laminatedsheetv tion itself.,will best be understood by reference to thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying Ydrawingin which Figure 1 is a side View of a device made according to myinvention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1,Figure 3 is another plan view with the-device adjusted to take diiierentsize work, Figure 4 is an enlarged detail projected into the plane 4 4,of a gripping jaw and a removable insert, Figure 5 is a transversesection taken along the line'5-5 of Figure .4, Figure 6 is a perspectiveshowing detailsof construction of a pivot pin made according tofmyinvention, Figures 7 and 8 show modifications of a tool made accordingto my invention, and Figures 9 to 11 illustrate steps in the preferredmethod, according to my invention, of making the above described tools.

In Figures l and 2 I show a tool made according to my invention andcomprising a pair of handle members 2@ and 2| made of laminated sheetmetal material blanked and formed to shape. The element 2li is providedwith an apertured portion 2c through which the pivot-pin 22 extends,having a nut 23 to retain the pin in place. The handles are providedwith insulating covering elements 24 and 25 made of insulating materialsuch as plastic molded on, or formed and later slipped on as describedin greater detail below.

The gripping ends of the handles are provided with a pair of loop-shapedjaws 26 and 2l on which are mounted the replaceable gripping elements 28and 29, preferably of some soft material such as a soft metal, resilientelements such Y as rubber, synthetic rubber or a plastic resistant tooil, water, gasoline or salt water.

The details of the jaws are shown in Figures 4 and 5. It will be notedthat the handle 2l comprises two laminated portions and is provided witha loop having a pair of oppositely disposed sides 2i and 2i, and in thecenter of which is positionedythe element or central Iweb 30 receivedwithin a slot Sil' in the gripping member 29. The member 29 .is providedwith a portion received between the oppositely disposed concave surfaces2l and 2l" of the gripping jaw. If the handle is made of two parts, theymay be welded together or each handle may be fabricated as describedbelow. The concave surfaces of the two outer portions 2 I and 2 l of theloop provide a cavity to hold andlock in place the gripping element orlip tip 29. The element 30 serves as an insert stabilizing member andprevents the gripping elements from being forced out of the confiningsides of lthe gripping jaws, one end of this element being positioned inthe groove 2l of the jaw 2l and the'other end being welded to the handleas shown in Fig. 4.

The pin is shown in greater detail in Figure 6. Itis provided with ahead 22 and threaded end 22 for receiving nut 23. Opposite flat sidesare"- provided as shown and when mounted on the pliers Aas shown inFigures 2 and 3, the flat sides of the pin are at a 45 angle to theplane of the adjusting circular notches, permitting stress due to leveraction being transmitted to the circular notches on both sides of theplane passing through the adjusting slot to provide a non-slippingaction desirable particularly when gripping jaws are at or near 90 ofthe center line of the pliers.

Two methods of fabricating the tool may be used.

A plasticV hand grip may be molded in two parts and then pressedon theend of the hand levers provided with notches tted into the serrationsdescribed above to position and retain the grips. and prevent the gripsfrom being forced oi the end of the hand levers. The plastic grips maybe welded together and bonded to the steel hand levers by means ofliquid plastic. These plastic hand grip members are shaped tofit thepalm of the hand. A preferred handle is described below.

In Figure 7 is shown a modification of a tool made according to myinvention and comprising two handle members 3| and 32 pivoted at 35 andhaving insulated handles- 36 and 31:", the gripping jaws 38 and 39 beingprovided with the resilient gripping pads on inserts im and 4l..

The device shown in Figure 8 allows the tool to be used exactly as awrench but has the additional advantage of plier lever action.

Handle members B9 andi 6l are pivoted together by means ofv the pivotmember 42 having the straight sides at a 45 angleY tov the planeparallel to the longitudinal axis of the apertured portion of member4i). The handles are provided with gripping jaws i3 and 44 at 90 to thehandles and are provided with gripping pads d and 46 and the insulatinghandles- 4T and 48.

The preferredv method of making my invention is illustrated in Figures 9to 1l, inclusive. In the first` step the pliers are blanked out inonepiece from flat stock as shown in Figure 9, the serrations, spurs andapertures being formedat the time of blanking, the apertures beingsmaller-l than those in the finished article.

The bl'anked out portion is then placed in forming dies and oiset asshown in. Figure 10; the portion which provides the loop being formedwith a concave surface and a notchl for receiving the partitionextending across the loop inthe. finished tool. The two portions of thehandle member are then folded toward each other with the partition ortongue 3U placed within the loop prior to closing the two parts of thehandle upon each other, the tongue being gripped between the notch 38 atthe end ofthe loop and the two sides of the loop as shown in Figure 11.At this stage thev iinal curves or offsets are provided in the tool. Theparts are then welded-1 at the points indicated by spot welding. Theadjustment aperturesare then perforated to final diameter, afterl whichthetool'. is polishedl and plated to prevent rust. The two halves maythen be assembled together in pivoted relationship with the nut and'bolt extending through the apertures.

In` the preferred embodiment of my invention,` the handles 205 and 2lare provided with a. plus rality of notches or serrations. and. 25:' andwith catch-burrs orv spurs. to retain. in place the handle members 24and 25". These handle covers may be formed from various kinds of. fiele.ible material, such as thin synthetic rubber or plastic tubingA andhaving a cross. section conforming with the section of the steel,handles'. The steel handles may be dipped in a solventand the plastictube forced, on, the handle, stretching the tube toI give it a tightfit. The serrations. act as cups, retaining a solvent which hardens andlocks the covers to the handles. The spurs act as additional means forretaining the tubes or covering of the handles and preventing slipping.The tubes project a short distance beyond the end of the steel handleand a molded end cap. such as 24 or 25, may be inserted into the end ofthe plastic tube after it has been dipped in the solventV which; weldsor fuses the cap to the plastic tube, making a rigid nish for the tube.This end cap may be of contrasting color with respect to the. tube foridentification purposes and for appearance. The plastic tubular cover isforced on the steel handle and positions itself with respect totheoffsets of the steel handle and as the offsets are at different anglesto each other the plastic tube follows these different angles andresults in a finished tool in which diierent angles form a natural blockwhich prevents the hand from sliding forward off the handle portion ofeach handle member, and also acts. for better gripping by the hand.

While I have indicated the preferred embodiments of my invention ofwhich I am aware' and have also. indicated only one specific applicationfor which my invention may be employed, itl will be apparent that myinvention is by no means limited to the exact ii'orms illustrated or theuse indicated, but that many variations may be made in the particularstructure used andthe purpose for which it is employed without departingfrom the scope of my invention asset forth in the appended claims.

What I claim asnew is:

l. A tool for gripping and rotating a work piece and having a pair ofpivoted elements, each of' said elementsincluding at one end a loopand acentral web extending across said loop; a gripping, element receivedwithin said loop and providedV with a4 slot,. said web. being locatedYin said. loop the ends of said web being in contact with saidv loop andsecuredl at one end tor saidf loop.

2. A tool for gripping androtating; a worlc piece and having a pair ofpivoted elements: providing at. one, end oppositely disposed jaws, each.ot said jaws comprising a loop, a centrally' positioned partitionextending; across. said l'oop, and having its: ends in: contact withsaid loop and secured; at onef endv to said loop. the; oppositelydisposed surfaces of saidz loop being concave; and: a yieldablegrippingelement received within said' loopA and provided with a.v slot receivingsaid partition, said` gripping element beingl retained by said loop'under pressure by the.` sides of said: loop.

3.` A toolv for gripping a work piece and having a. pair4 of pivotedelements, each of said eiements comprising a plurality' of sheetV metalfformed elements. one endl ot the. sheet metal elements being formed toprovide a loop, a centralV webl within said: loop.. and having.vitsendsin con tact with. said loop and secured at; one end tol said loopand; a resilient gripping element' re-Y ceivedf within said. loi-1p.land; provided with a slot receiving said web, saidi gripping. elementbeing retained. within said. loopt under. pressure from.1 the. sideszof. said loopz..

4. A4 tool for: engaging material.' toghe gripped and. held againstrelative rotatiom said` material having smooth or' irregular surfaces,said tool including a` pair of relatively'pivotablemembers each providedwith a gripping jawl oppositely disposed tothe gripping jaw of theother' member, eachi jaw comprising a loop having oppositely disposedconcave. sidesy and` a. partition extending.

'Macross said loop and. having its. ends; in contact with said loop andsecured at one end to said loop and a yieldable insert having a grippingsurface and mounted within said loop and provided with a slot receivingsaid partition.

5. A tool for gripping and rotating a work piece and having a pair ofpivoted elements, each element having at portions and at one end beingprovided with a jaw, each of said jaws comprising a loop oiset withrespect to the flat portions of the element, and a central web extendingacross said loop having its ends in contact with said loop and securedat one end to said loop,k and a gripping element received within saidloop and provided with a slot receiving said web.

6. A tool for engaging material to be gripped and held against relativerotation, said material having smooth or irregular surfaces, said toolincluding a pair of relatively pivotable members each provided with ahandle portion and a gripping jaw oppositely disposed to the grippingjaw of the other element, each jaw comprising a loop having oppositelydisposed concave sides and a web extending across said loop and havingits end in contact with said loop and secured at one end to said loop,and a yieldable insert having a gripping surface and mounted within eachloop and provided with a slot receiving said web, said yieldable insertbeing maintained in said loop under pressure, said gripping jaws beingmounted at a 90 angle to said handle portion.

7. A tool for gripping a Work piece and having a pair of pivotedmembers, each member being formed from fiat stock, each member includingREFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 94,920 Smith Sept. 14, 1869590,710 Sheppard Sept. 28, 1897 699,803 Monehan et al May 13, 1902826,153 De Groff July 17, 1906 1,041,978 Diefendorf Oct. 22, 19121,763,527 Jones June 10, 1930 1,800,447 Foreschl Apr. 14, 1931 1,867,505Graner July 12, 1932 1,916,605 Chobert July 4, 1933 2,055,854 StibbeSept. 29, 1936 2,082,699 Keppinger June 1, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 86,891 Switzerland Jan. 3, 1921

